Loading apparatus



(No Model.) 4 ,sheets -sheet 1. H. AIKEN. LOADING APPARATUS.

No. 530,296. Patented Dec. 4, 1894.

wrrnssszs N INVENTOR m: Norms warms co PHOTQ-LITNQ, WASNIN (No Model.) 4Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. AIKEN.

LOADING APPARATUS.

Patented Dec. 4, 1894;

INVENTOR (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3;

H. AIKEN. LOADING APPARATUS.

No. 530,296. 5 Patented Dec 4,1894.

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(No Model.) 4 sheets -sheet 4.

HQAIKEN.

LOADING- APPARATUS. No. 630,296. Patented Dec. 4, 1894.

'UNITED' "STATES PATEN T ()FFICE.

HENRY AIKEN, OF PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA.

LOADINGAETPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,296, dated December4, 1894.

Application filed August 15,1892. iserinno. 443,111. on soda.)

To all whom it may cancer-1 21:,

Be it known that I, HENRY AIKEN, of Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new and usefulImprovement in Loading Apparatus,

of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being, had ,''to the accompanyingdrawings, in which-5 Figure 1is .a'plan view ofpartof the railloading apparatus embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof. Fig. 31s a plan View of' themotor, and Fig. 4jis a side elevation thereof.

, be turned on its longitudinal axis. At the ends of the shaft 4, areframes 6, fixed thereto and projecting radially therefrom to both sides.These frames, which are set parallel to each other, are suitablyconstructed of metal beams, and constitute the means for supporting thesprocket wheels and chains by which the rails are loaded. They may alsobe provided with longitudinal rails 26, which afford supporting surfaceson which the beams or rails beingloaded are carried by the action of thesprocket chains and spurs hereinafter described.

The sprocket-wheels 7 are fixed to shafts 7 journaled at the ends of theframes, and in each frame the endless sprocket-chains 8 connect thewheels as shown. They derive their power from a shaft 9 '(driven ashereinafter explained), which extends axially through the shaft 4, andis provided with end sprocketwheels 10, connected with a sprocket-wheel24 on one of the shafts 7', by driving chains 11. There are alsopreferably supplemental frames 12, which extend lengthwise from the endsof the frames 6, being connected pivotally to the latter on the axes ofthe shafts 7',

land are provided with sprocket-chains 13, which connect sprocket wheels13' at the ends of the frames 12 with sprocket wheels 25 on the shafts7, and derive their motion from The inclination of the main frames 6 andtheir sprocket-chains can also be varied by turning the hollow shaft 4in its hearings on the car. There may also be asuppleinental frame atone end only of the frame 6, though I prefer to have one at each end, asshown.

,The driving shaft 9 derives its rotary motion from a motor 23, which issituated preferably on aseparate car 15, a driven shaft of the motor,being connected with the shaft 9 by an intermediate shaft 16, havinguniversal joints 17. The shaft 16 may thus be made to serve both as themeans of transmitting rotary motion to the shaft 7, and as the couplinglink connecting the cars 2 and 15.

The car 15 may be used as a locomotive engine by connecting its axleswith the motor by suitable gearing, as shown in Fig. 4.

When the apparatus is to be used, the cars are moved along the trackuntil the sprocketchain car 2 is brought opposite to the railway car 18to be loaded. Then the frames 6 and 12 are set at the properinclination, so that the ends of the lower supplemental frames shall beat the place from which the rails are to be taken, and that the ends ofthe upper supplemental frames shall be at the car into which the railsare to be delivered, or can be connected therewith by delivery arms 19.When adjusted at the proper inclination, the frames 6 are held bysuitable devices, such as segments 20 andlocking-pins, which passthrough holes 0 in the segments and in the frame of the car. The drivingshaft 9 being then set in rotation by means of the motor, causes thesprocket-chain to travel, and rails or beams piled upon their lower endsarecarried by spurs 21 thereon up to thecar, into the side of which theyare discharged. In cases where the rails are to be received not from thefloor as shown in Fig. 1, but from an elevated table, the lowersupplemental frames may; be

turned, so as to project from'theframes 6 at the proper angle to efiectthis. Where the railway cars are of such construction that the railscannot be introduced at the side, but must be put lengthwise into theend of the car, I use the loading device to deliver the rails uponrollers set on frames 22, which I place at the ends of the cars, andwhen on the rollers, the rails can be pushed into the car by theworkmen.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art, that the apparatus isof great utility and is the means of saving much labor in thedisposition of the product of rolling mills.

Within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims, variationscan be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of theapparatus.

I claim 1. A loading apparatus comprising a car, parallel framessupported pivotally .on bearings on the car and adjustable thereon tovary their inclination, sprocket wheels at the ends of the frames,sprocket chains connecting them, and an adjustable end-frame or framesmounted pivotally on the axis of said sprocket wheels, and havingsprocket-chains driven thereby substantially as described.

2. In a loading apparatus, the combination of sprocket-chain frames, ahollow shaft connecting them and rotary to vary their inclination, and apower shaft extending through said hollow shaft; substantially as andfor the purposes described.

3. In a loading apparatus, the combination of sprocket-chain frames, ahollow shaft connecting them and rotary to vary their inclination, and apower shaft extending through said hollow shaft, a car supporting saidparts, asecond motor car, and an intermediate power and draft shaft;substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination of a car, sprocketchains mounted thereon, a secondmotor car, and an intermediate power and draft shaft; substantially asand for the purposes described. V

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of August,A. D. 1892.

I HENRY AIKEN.

Witnesses:

H. M. Conwm, W. B. CORWIN.

